Malaysian court orders return of seized Swatch rainbow watches

A Malaysian court has ordered local authorities to return dozens of Swatch watches in rainbow colours seized last year. The 172 watches, worth a total of around $14,000 (less than CHF 12,500), were seized from Swatch shops across Malaysia in May 2023. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox At the time, an official explained that the watches had been seized because they bore the acronym "LGBT" and represented the six colours synonymous worldwide with the rainbow flag of LGBT pride movement. The government of Malaysia, where homosexuality is outlawed and LGBT people face widespread discrimination, subsequently banned the rainbow-themed Swatch watches, warning that owners or sellers could face up to three years in prison. The authorities had claimed that the watches "could harm… the nation's interests by promoting, supporting and normalising the LGBTQ movement which is not accepted by the general public". In its complaint challenging the seizure, Swatch explained ...